Questions to ask a caterer at the tasting

By the kitchen office, RASA · Published 30 Aug 2026 · Bangalore & Bengaluru

At a caterer's tasting in Bangalore ask: who cooked this and will they cook the wedding; how long will each dish hold hot at the venue; which dishes are cooked on site versus transported; what the guaranteed count and buffer are; how the kitchen handles a muhurtham that runs late; how Jain, satvik and non-vegetarian lines are separated; what the counter floor plan is; and what is and is not in the per-plate figure. A tasting usually takes sixty to ninety minutes and covers eight to twelve dishes.

About the food

Who cooked this, and will the same person cook it on the day?
Which dishes are cooked at the venue and which are transported? How long does each hold?
Is the paneer made in-house? Is the biryani kacchi or pakki? Are the masalas ground for the event?
Can the heat be adjusted for elders without changing the dish?
What is cooked live, and by whom?

About the day

What is the guaranteed count, and what buffer is cooked above it?
What happens if the muhurtham runs forty minutes late — how is the lunch kept?
How many servers, and at what ratio?
Where will the counters stand, and which opens first?
How are the Jain, satvik and non-vegetarian lines separated — vessels, servers, signage?

About the money

What is in the per-plate figure, and what is a separate line?
Is GST shown separately?
What is the overage rate above the guarantee?
What does the venue charge for an outside caterer, and have you asked them?
What are the cancellation slabs?

What a good answer sounds like

Specific. A name or a seat, a number of minutes, a ratio, a line on a quote. A caterer who answers "don't worry, we manage everything" has not answered.

Questions people ask

Are wedding food tastings free in Bangalore?

Practice varies. Many caterers offer a tasting once a wedding of size is being seriously discussed; some charge and adjust it against the booking. Ask when you enquire. Ours is arranged for weddings and events of size, cooked by the chefs who will cook the day.

How long does a catering tasting take?

Sixty to ninety minutes for eight to twelve dishes, with the menu discussion.

What should I taste at a wedding caterer's tasting?

The dishes your family will judge: the sambar or dal, the main biryani or curry, the paneer, one live-counter item and one sweet — not the safe dishes every kitchen gets right.

Get a menu and a per-plate quote, usually the same day

Date, head count, the cuisines you have in mind. Enough for the first reply to carry a menu and a number rather than a brochure.

What happens after you send the ticket

A written reply, usually the same day. A first menu built for your occasion, the per-plate figure it comes to, and the two or three questions we need settled before the number is firm.
A tasting. For weddings and events of size we cook the shortlist for you before you sign. Each cuisine on the menu is cooked by the chef who will cook it on the day.
The plan for the day. Counters, service staff, timings against your muhurtham or your agenda, and the venue's rules on outside catering, checked with the venue by us.